Control tag with environmentally selected conditional response

Abstract

Systems ( 100 ) and methods ( 300 ) for selective device responsiveness using a plurality of control tags ( 132 ) affixed to a plurality of objects ( 102 ). The methods involve: receiving, by a plurality of control tags, a reporting command signal sent from an interrogation device via a communications link; and communicating a response to the reporting command signal from only those of the plurality of control tags which are (1) currently being moved, (2) have been moved within a first specified period of time, and/or (3) have a surrounding environment with at least one characteristic that has recently changed.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for operating an inventory tracking system, comprising:
 performing operations by an interrogation device to selectively track inventory by
 causing a plurality of control tags to transition reporting operations from regular reporting operations in which all of the control tags respond to an interrogation by the interrogation device at a given time to special reporting operations in which a limited number of the control tags respond to the interrogation by the interrogation device at a given time; 
 receiving, by the interrogation device, a response signal to an interrogation only from those control tags of the plurality of control tags which determined, based on locally acquired sensor data, that they (1) are currently being moved, (2) have been moved within a first specified period of time, or (3) have a surrounding environment with a characteristic which changed within a second specified period of time; and 
 tracking, by the interrogation device, the limited number of the control tags based on the received response signals. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the interrogation device transmits a command signal to cause the plurality of control tags to transition from the regular reporting operations to the special reporting operations. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising performing operations by the interrogation device to cause the plurality of control tags to transition back to the regular reporting operations. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising selectively tracking by the interrogation device, during a first period of time, only those items in inventory that are currently being moved. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising selectively tracking by the interrogation device, during a second period of time, only those items in inventory that have been recently moved. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising selectively tracking by the interrogation device, during a third period of time, only those items in inventory that have a surrounding environment with a characteristic which recently changed. 
     
     
       7. An inventory tracking system, comprising:
 an interrogation device configured to selectively track inventory by
 causing a plurality of control tags to transition reporting operations from regular reporting operations in which all of the control tags respond to interrogation by the interrogation device at a given time to special reporting operations in which a limited number of the control tags respond to the interrogation by the interrogation device at a given time; 
 receiving, by the interrogation device, a response signal to an interrogation only from those control tags of the plurality of control tags which determined, based on locally acquired sensor data, that they (1) are currently being moved, (2) have been moved within a first specified period of time, or (3) have a surrounding environment with a characteristic which changed within a second specified period of time; and 
 tracking, by the interrogation device, the limited number of the control tags based on the received response signals. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The inventory tracking system according to  claim 7 , wherein the interrogation device transmits a command signal to cause the plurality of control tags to transition the regular reporting operations to the special reporting operations. 
     
     
       9. The inventory tracking system according to  claim 7 , wherein the interrogation device is further configured to cause the plurality of control tags to transition the reporting operations back to the regular reporting operations. 
     
     
       10. The inventory tracking system according to  claim 7 , wherein the interrogation device is further configured to selectively track, during a first period of time, only those items in inventory that are currently being moved. 
     
     
       11. The inventory tracking system according to  claim 10 , wherein the interrogation device is further configured to selectively track, during a second period of time, only those items in inventory that have been recently moved. 
     
     
       12. The inventory tracking system according to  claim 11 , wherein the interrogation device is further configured to selectively track, during a third period of time, only those items in inventory that have a surrounding environment with a characteristic which recently changed.